Manchester opens refreshed Ancoats Green
The park was upgraded as part of a £40m public realm programme and reopened this weekend.
The £3.2m Ancoats Green project marks the final chapter of the regeneration of Ancoats and aims to cater for existing residents and those who will occupy a further 1,500 pipeline homes.
Homes England has committed £28.1m to the overall project – including the recently opened Ancoats Mobility Hub, which backs onto the park.
The new-look Ancoats Green includes walking and cycling routes to encourage active travel through the neighbourhood, around 4,500 sq ft of new planting, a 63% net increase in trees, and a 30,000 sq ft wildflower meadow.
In addition, granite paving stones removed from Albert Square as part of the ongoing Our Town Hall project, will be reused at Ancoats Green.
Planit and Civic Engineers led on the design of the project, which sits between the Mobility Hub and the first development from This City, the city council’s housing delivery vehicle, on Rodney Street.
The housing scheme is expected to complete this summer and will offer 128 apartments, 30% of which will be capped at the Manchester Living Rent.
Manchester City Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said: “We’re on a mission to invest more in our parks and green spaces.
“Ancoats Green is the latest park in our city centre to be created or refurbished to make sure our residents have access to brilliant green spaces. The Green will be the heart of this community, a place local people can take pride in, spend time with family and friends, and find a respite from the bustle of the city – all in a low traffic, sustainable neighbourhood.”
She added: “Building on the Ancoats success story the next phase of investment will see 1,500 new homes built, which includes the council’s first This City housing development at No. 1 Ancoats Green that will complete in the next few months – helping to increase access to genuinely affordable homes in the city centre.”
Credit: via MCC
